New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Javon Baker was a healthy scratch for the Week 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. While this is a concern for his future outlook, some first-year players take longer to adjust to the NFL than others. Patriots wide receiver coach Tyler Hughes said, "I think we'll see him more and more as the season goes on." Four Patriots wideouts saw targets in Week 1, including K.J. Osborn (six), Demario Douglas (three), Tyquan Thornton (three), and Ja'Lynn Polk (one). It's worth noting Kendrick Bourne (knee) is on the PUP list, but he could return as soon as Week 5. Fantasy managers should probably expect Baker to have little to no fantasy value in Year 1, but he could make noise later in his career and should continue to be stashed in deep dynasty leagues.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy had a fantastic NFL debut in last week's Thursday night win over the Baltimore Ravens. The rookie out of Texas posted 68 yards and two touchdowns on just three touches. However, Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt is not worried about the matchup in Week 2. "Speed. That's about it. He can run straight," Taylor-Britt said of Worthy on Thursday. "Run jet sweeps and just run straight. Can't do too much else. That's about it. I feel like you put your hands on him -- he's only 100-something pounds -- you put hands on him, you'll stop the speed. So basically get hands on him." While the Bengals allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers last week, a matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium is an entirely different challenge than hosting the Patriots. All that said, Worthy has a boom-or-bust fantasy football outlook until he puts up games with more targets and touches. With Marquise Brown (shoulder) still not practicing, he could have the opportunity to do so in Week 2.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars placed cornerback Tyson Campbell (hamstring) on Injured Reserve on Thursday, meaning he will miss at least the next four games. Campbell picked up a hamstring injury during the Week 1 loss to the Miami Dolphins, and he was expected to miss significant time. The 2021 second-round pick out of Georgia has racked up 207 tackles (149 solo), two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, six interceptions, and 30 pass deflections in his first 44 career games. After placing him on IR, the Jaguars signed Tre Flowers to the active roster, who will provide depth in the secondary for the next few games. Rookie fourth-round pick De'Antre Prince could start in Campbell's place in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns.

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Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (knee) is working off to the side with team director of rehabilitation Britt Brown during Thursday's practice, according to Ed Werder. The third-year pro out of Wisconsin suffered a bone bruise in his left knee in the Week 1 win over the Cleveland Browns, and it remains to be seen if he will suit up for the Week 2 NFC battle against the New Orleans Saints. The Saints allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to tight ends last season, but Ferguson is unlikely to be close to 100% of he suits up. If he's out, backup tight end Luke Schoonmaker will likely play the most significant role of his career, but Ferguson's absence probably helps the outlook of wide receiver Brandin Cooks more than anyone else.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring) did not practice on Wednesday, and he was seen wearing street clothes on Thursday, indicating he is not practicing again. This marks the third consecutive official practice he has missed. Higgins has been considered unlikely to play since early in the week, and that doesn't look like it's going to change. The Bengals offense looked lifeless against the New England Patriots in Week 1, as Joe Burrow tossed for just 164 yards, and Ja'Marr Chase racked up just 62 yards on six targets. Burrow is a low-end QB1 in Week 2, but his ceiling is much lower against the Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. However, Chase remains a must-start option in leagues of all shapes and sizes. If Higgins is out as expected, Andrei Iosivas can be considered in flex spots, but he has a wide range of outcomes.

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If New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones can't get right and improve on his dreadful Week 1 performance against the Minnesota Vikings in a Week 2 divisional matchup against the Washington Commanders, ESPN's Dan Graziano thinks he's in real trouble. Anything short of improvement will place Jones' contractual future squarely into the spotlight. The four-year, $160 million contract that Jones signed before last season only included two years of fully guaranteed money. So if the Giants released him after this season, they'd have $22.21 million in dead money against their salary cap, although they wouldn't have to pay him the $78 million in salary and bonuses he's currently scheduled to earn over the 2025 and 2026 seasons. The bottom line is Jones has looked bad since the 2022 season, and the more he continues to struggle, the more people will be clamoring for backup Drew Lock.

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Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (knee) is still the only player on the team's 53-man roster that was not participating in practice on Thursday. Love suffered a Grade 1/2 MCL sprain to his left knee at the tail end of the Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last Friday in Brazil and has missed the first two practices in Week 2. Head coach Matt LaFleur said the door is open for Love to play this Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field, but that feels like a long shot. In a best-case-scenario, the 25-year-old will probably be lucky to miss only a few games. In the meantime, backup Malik Willis is expected to start this Sunday against the Colts, where fantasy managers should expect a much less explosive Packers offense. Fantasy managers should have already made plans to go in another direction at QB with Love unlikely to play in Week 2.

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Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Akins finds himself as the only healthy tight end on the active 53-man roster heading into Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars after starting TE David Njoku (ankle) has already been ruled out due to an ankle injury he sustained in the Week 1 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. One of the three TEs on the practice squad -- Geoff Swaim, Cameron Latu and Blake Whitehurst -- will likely be elevated on game day this Sunday to back up Akins. Akins played 57% of the offensive snaps in Week 1 and had three catches for 27 yards. The 32-year-old could be the TE1 in Cleveland for multiple weeks, too, making him worth a flier for TE depth in the deepest of fantasy leagues. Despite Njoku's injury, Akins is still only rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues with Week 2 quickly approach. In what looked like a bad Browns offense in Week 1, not much will be expected of Akins.

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Multiple league executives think that the New York Jets will eventually need to explore flipping pass-rusher Haason Reddick via trade, as their contract impasse with him has no end in sight. Reddick remains on the Reserve/Did Not Report list and has forfeited a $791,666 game check on top of the more than $5 million in NFL-mandated fines he accumulated by holding out in training camp. "Not sure they have a choice," an NFC executive said. "They wouldn't get similar value back [a third-rounder], but it would be hard [for the Jets] to pay him at this point, and he clearly doesn't want to be there. Both sides badly mismanaged the situation." The Jets acquired the 29-year-old defensive end from the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason, but his holdout extended into the regular season when he didn't play in the Monday night loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Stay tuned.

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ESPN's Jeremy Fowler doesn't think it's quite time for the Cleveland Browns to consider replacing quarterback Deshaun Watson with backup Jameis Winston after the former looked pretty bad in the Week 1 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. In Watson's defense, the Browns were playing without their top two offensive tackles against a strong Cowboys defense. Fowler believes the Browns will give Watson a healthy run to prove himself, but he also hasn't looked like the same QB who starred for the Texans from 2017-20. There are concerns about whether Watson can regain his fastball after shoulder surgery, but people with the Browns have been adamant that they saw glimpses of the old Watson during the preseason. But until we actually see that in the regular season, Watson's fantasy stock continues to plummet heading into Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder) will not practice with the team on Thursday. The Chiefs aren't ruling Brown out of their Week 2 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals this Sunday, but the fact that Brown has yet to practice this week doesn't give him a great chance to make his team debut this weekend. The 27-year-old suffered a sternoclavicular injury in the preseason opener and didn't play in the season-opening win last Thursday over the Baltimore Ravens. The Chiefs continue to say that Hollywood is making strides and getting closer to playing, but as of right now, he feels doubtful to play in Week 2. If Brown misses a second straight game, expect both Rashee Rice and rookie Xavier Worthy to see plenty of work yet again against Cincy. The Chiefs will release their final injury report on Friday.

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Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert (chest) will not play on Thursday Night Football against the Buffalo Bills due to a chest injury, but his injury is not expected to keep him out long, and he's unlikely to go on Injured Reserve. A stint on the IR list would mean he would have to miss at least the next four games, so this is good news for his fantasy managers. However, the 32-year-old could only produce 19 yards on seven touches last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, while De'Von Achane (ankle) posted 100 total yards on 17 touches. It's too early to say Mostert could be regressing, but it's on the table. In his absence, Jeff Wilson Jr. and/or Jaylen Wright will handle touches behind Achane, assuming he's active for Week 2.

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Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (ankle) is officially questionable to face the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football, and he is being considered a game-time decision. However, there is optimism that he will suit up based on how he practiced yesterday and how he is feeling. The second-year pro out of Texas A&M missed practice on Monday and Tuesday with an ankle injury but returned to a limited practice on Wednesday. Fantasy managers should wait on official word regarding Achane's status, which will likely come out 90 minutes before kickoff when the team releases its official inactives report. If he's active, he's a must-start option in all formats, and Jeff Wilson Jr. and Jaylen Wright could see touches behind him with Raheem Mostert (chest) already being ruled out. If Achane is ruled out, both backup running backs are worth flex consideration in 12-team leagues.

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Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott could be a touchdown-dependent fantasy play in Week 2 against New Orleans. In Week 1, Elliot rushed 10 times for 40 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for nine yards against the Browns. His day was salvaged by a touchdown and he and Rico Dowdle basically alternated drives at Cleveland. The reality, however, is Elliott could be a TD machine in the high-powered Cowboys' offense and that could be the case in Week 2 against the Saints. His limited rushing opportunities in what looks like a shared backfield make him a somewhat risky proposition for fantasy purposes week in and week out. But until proven otherwise, the Ohio State product is a solid bet to find paydirt each week and could fall into the end zone multiple times in any given matchup. There are better options for volume at the position in fantasy but Elliott looks like he could be a decent RB2 play this week.

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Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle was involved in the team's game plan in Week 1 against the Browns but will need to improve his efficiency before becoming a fantasy player worth starting in most leagues. Dowdle saw eight carries for 26 yards in Week 1 as he alternated drives with starter Ezekiel Elliott. He did add one catch for six yards. Dowdle's 3.3 yards per carry leaves something to be desired although his usage was somewhat encouraging for his standalone value. In Week 2, expect Elliott to be the featured goal-line back. Dowdle could once again see some game time but he will need to do more with his opportunities to become fantasy-relevant. Fantasy managers with options at the position would be wise to take a wait-and-see approach with Dowdle in Week 2.

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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb turned in a solid day at the office in Week 1 at Cleveland but more should be expected of the talented wideout in Week 2 at home against New Orleans. Lamb was targeted 10 times and hauled in five of those passes for 61 yards in the team's 33-17 win over the Browns while adding three rushes for 25 yards. It was a decent day for Lamb who has created a high bar after setting the fantasy world aflame last season. For those just looking at the stat line, the Cowboys didn't take to the air much in the second half of Week 1. Expect more from Lamb in a home game against the Saints. The fact that he was involved with some rushes is also a good sign as he has the skill set to take an end-around to the house. Lamb should move around the formation and be involved early and often in Week 2 in what figures to be a more competitive game. Not that fantasy managers need reassurance to start a player likely drafted with a top 3 pick but Lamb should be fired up with a great deal of confidence.

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott returns home for a Week 2 matchup against the New Orleans Saints for his first game in Dallas since signing a massive new contract. The Saints beat up on the Panthers in Week 1. Prescott, meanwhile, led Dallas to a runaway win at Cleveland in the opener and was 19-of-32 passing for 179 yards and a touchdown. The game got out of hand, so Prescott slowed things down a bit. In his return home, expect the Cowboys signal caller to be busier and thus have a better fantasy showing. Prescott figures to push for top-five fantasy quarterback status this season and he should this individual week as well. As he continues to build rapport with his top target CeeDee Lamb, his numbers should be better than Week 1. He will be without tight end Jake Ferguson but has plenty of other targets to spread the ball to. There is not much to take away from the Saints' defensive showing in Week 1 as the Panthers' offense was woeful. Start Prescott with confidence.

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New Orleans Saints wide receiver A.T. Perry (hand) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice according to the team's injury report. Perry missed Week 1 with his hand injury but looks like he will be good to go when the Saints take on the Cowboys in Week 2 barring a setback. Perry's role this season is yet to be defined and the team's matchup with Dallas is a tough one. With Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed as the team's main targets on the outside, Perry is still an intriguing talent worth stashing as his usage becomes more clear.

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Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Josh Palmer (knee) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice according to the team's injury report ahead of a Week 2 matchup against Carolina. Palmer recorded two catches for 15 yards on four targets in Week 1. He has a good matchup in Week 2 if he can suit up, so it is worth tracking his practice participation in the next few days. He was third on the team in targets in the opener behind rookie Ladd McConkey (7) and Quentin Johnson (5).

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Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is tuning out external criticism after a challenging performance in Sunday's 28-6 loss to the Vikings. Despite throwing two interceptions, failing to score on two fourth-quarter red-zone trips, and finishing with a 44.3 passer rating, Jones remains focused on internal matters. "I'm concerned about the people in this building," Jones said, emphasizing his commitment to his team. Addressing the fan backlash, he took a measured approach: "They're upset and frustrated, and we're frustrated too. I understand thatI'm not easily offended. I know I need to play better, and we all need to improve." The Giants were the only team in Week 1 to score fewer than 10 points, a continuation of offensive struggles that have plagued the franchise since Jones was drafted. However, Jones might see improvement in Week 2 against a Commanders defense that ranked last in yards allowed per game in 2023 and recently conceded 37 points to the Buccaneers.

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